CHAPTER X 



RANGE SHEEP 



The natural conditions and environment in the western 

 states, and the extensive scale on which the sheep industry 

 is conducted, together with the high price of labor and 

 the comparative inaccessibility of some of the larger 

 sheep ranges, have rendered it necessary to develop a 

 system of management which is comparatively! uniform 

 throughout the range districts, although certain minor 

 differences prevail in various localities on account of cli- 

 matic, labor and transportation conditions. 



HERDING 



The great western ranges, unlike other sheep countries, 

 are absolutely devoid of sheep fences. Consequently, 

 the sheep must be herded every day of the year except 

 when they are shut in the feed-lots in the winter. At 

 evening, they are brought in close to the herder's camp 

 where they lie down during the night. Next morning, 

 they are out grazing early and the herder must be up to 

 keep watch of them. The herder is assisted by a camp 

 tender who moves camp and brings out supplies. One 

 camp tender may in some cases tend more than one herder. 

 The heavy expense of herding range sheep makes it neces- 

 sary to give each man as many sheep as he can take care 

 of, which will be 2000 to 3000 wethers or 1000 to 1500 



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